Tiny Dancer
by kaerfemina
Summary: Sesshoumaru has been taking kendo classes at the local gym with an old friend of his father's for years. At the same time there's a ballet class going on. One day a beautiful, graceful ballerina shows up and steals his attention.
1. Shattered Concentration

A/N: Here's another idea I came up with. I've been getting hit with plunnies left and right. I can't concentrate myself! Well, please enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: The amazing characters in this story belong to the talented Rumiko Takahashi. I do not take responsibility for her genius.

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><p>She was stunning. Absolutely dazzling. And try as I might, I couldn't keep my eyes off the girl for long. I tried to focus on my sensei, I really did, but my gaze kept drifting away from him back to her magnificence. Her body twirled and arched so gracefully. As long as she moved, I couldn't concentrate.<p>

"Sesshoumaru!" I started at the angry call of my sensei.

I immediately straightened and turned my attention back to him. "Hai, Sensei?"

Sensei's expression was stern, his nine tails flicking in irritation. "How do you expect to become a good swordsman if you don't _pay attention_?"

"I am sorry. I will not allow my attention to waver again."

"See that it doesn't." And he returned to the lesson's demonstration.

I pointedly kept my eyes on the lesson but the movement in my peripherals was highly distracting and I didn't get anything out of what I was watching.

After the demonstration was complete, Sensei asked us to split into teams of two to do a practice spar using the techniques he just demonstrated. Since our class has an odd number of students, and I'm the most skilled among them (naturally), I am almost always partnered with Sensei or his seven-tailed assistant, Hoshiro.

Hoshiro came over and handed me a shinai. So I would be paired with him today. I took my stance and we started the spar. Suddenly, the girl made a leap and my eyes followed her graceful movement as she soared through the air. Next thing I knew, my sword was out of my hands. Damn. Hoshiro disarmed me. I mentally berated myself for my lack of discipline. I haven't been disarmed since the early days of my training. I steeled myself so that it would not happen again.

However, despite my resolve, I was disarmed twice more in a matter of minutes. The girl just kept doing the most spectacular things at just the exact moment when my attention shouldn't waver.

When I lost my grip on my sword for a fourth time, Sensei came over and pulled me to the side. I thought he was going to scold me but he surprised me when he spoke in a gentle voice. "Is there something wrong, Sesshoumaru? What has your attention so splintered?"

My gaze flickered over to the ballet class at the far end of the gymnasium before I dropped it to the floor. Apparently, Sensei noticed my glance.

"Ballet? You couldn't possibly be interested in that. You've practiced beside the ballet class for years and never showed any…unless, its one of the dancers?"

I felt my cheeks warm minimally and hoped it wasn't visible. I kept my eyes on the floor.

Sensei leaned back. "I see. You _are_ getting to that age, aren't you?" He sighed. "A starry-eyed, lovesick dog is useless."

I glared up at him with a growl. "I am _not_ lovesick!"

"No, of course not." His voice dripped with sarcasm and humor. "You seem to forget, Sesshoumaru, that I grew up with your father. I know all of the signs."

"I am _not_ lovesick!" I repeated.

"Okay, maybe not _yet_. But you will be. First she holds your eyes, soon she'll hold your heart."

I growled again. "She is _human_."

"Your father mated a human after your mother passed."

"And created an abomination to demon kind. I am _not_ my father."

"Your brother isn't that bad. But you're right, you always took more after your mother. Though you're more like your father than you think, Sesshoumaru."

I crossed my arms, twisted my face away and turned up my nose. "Hn,"

Sensei chuckled a bit at my show of defiance before he said, "Class is almost over, why don't you pack up and go home?"

I looked up at him to ascertain if he was being serious or not. Sensei has never let us off early in all the years since I came under his teaching. It _seemed_ like he was serious. "Alright. I will." With that I turned and headed into the locker room. I expected him to call me back and order me back to practice but he never did. So I took off my sweaty kendo uniform and stepped into the shower to rinse off the sticky perspiration. When I had finished with my shower and was almost completely dressed in my street clothes, the other boys came into the locker room. I watched as they deposited their protective armor in the designated bins. I shook my head. I didn't wear the armor anymore. Since I was a demon and in the advanced stages of my training, I no longer required them. Sensei promised that one day I'd be able to graduate to using a real katana for practice. I looked forward to the day.

"Hey, look! It's 'Mr. Perfect!'" one boy said after spotting me.

"Not so perfect today now were you Mr. Perfect?" another boy piped up.

I ignored them. Their comments were idiotic and didn't deserve a response.

"Nah, he was too busy drooling over that sexy ballerina!" a third boy laughed.

Before I could even think to stop myself, I had the boy by the throat pressed up against the wall and I was growling in his petrified face.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru, calm down man. We were just joshing you. You know, poking fun. He didn't mean it."

I growled at the boy some more before I released him. "Do not talk about her like that!" I spit at him as he gasped for air.

The room was completely silent as I grabbed my school bag, slammed my locker and stormed out. When I was out of sight, I heard one of the boys say, "Man, he's got it bad for that chick, huh?" I heard the murmured agreements of the other boys as I stalked away.

The gym was empty now, both classes had ended, except for one person by the mirror wall doing stretches. It was the graceful girl that had distracted me all afternoon. I wondered what she was doing all by herself. Her class was over, shouldn't she be leaving?

"What are you doing?" I had drifted closer without realizing it and the question left my mouth without permission.

She looked up at me from the middle of her stretch and smiled. The expression all but knocked the air out of my lungs. When she smiled, her beauty was incomparable. She straightened and answered my question, though I had forgotten what I had asked.

"Cool down stretches. You should stretch before _and_ after exercising your muscles. Before keeps the muscles from locking up and cramping _during_ the exercise but after prevents them from seizing and cramping later," she explained.

"Oh. I see." My heart took off at a gallop when she smiled at me again. I swallowed thickly. "My name is Sesshoumaru Taisho. May I ask your name?"

She giggled. The little laugh was like tinkling bells. "Nice to meet you, Sesshoumaru. I'm Kagome Higurashi."

I heard the other boys exit the locker room and one of them whispered, "Mr. Perfect is talking to that ballerina!"

Another whispered back, "Whoa! Way to go, Sesshoumaru!"

"Go for it, Taisho!" another whispered.

I smirked. "Are you new here? I have been taking kendo here for a long time and I am pretty sure I have never seen you before."

Her smile vanished and I wondered what I said to upset her. "Yes. I just moved here. When my father died my family moved in with my grandfather at Sunset Shrine."

I nodded solemnly. I understood the pain of losing a loved one. "I am sorry for your loss. Do not worry, time dulls the pain."

She looked at me with such sad eyes. "Who did you loose?"

"My mother."

"I'm sorry."

I nodded. What else is there to say about that? She still looked so sad so I searched for a change in topic that would bring back that dazzling smile. I cleared my throat. "You are an excellent dancer."

Her smile started to return. "You think so?"

Again I nodded. "You are very graceful."

"Really?"

"Hn, you rival the grace of a demon."

An exultant smile broke out across her face and I forgot how to breathe for a couple seconds. "Thank you! That is the most wonderful compliment I've ever gotten!" and all of a sudden her arms were wrapped around me and her face was buried in my chest. I fought against the blush that was creeping up my neck to flood my face and didn't quite win. I heard the boys behind me snickering.

"Um, you are welcome." I said patting her awkwardly on the back.

She stepped away from me then. "I should be getting home now. It was nice talking to you. See you later, Sesshoumaru!" She called the last part over her shoulder as she headed for the girl's locker room.

It took me a moment to recover. "Right, later." I murmured. And I escaped the gym before the other boys could converge on me.

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><p>AN: So what'd you think? I know Sessh is a little OOC but I want and like him this way. This is an AU anyway. If you don't like it, you can just not read and if you read it anyway and still don't like it, well, bite me.


	2. Broken Dignity

A/N: Here's chapter two! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

DISCLAIMER: My name is not Rumiko Takahashi, so Inuyasha does not belong to me.

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><p>"I am home," I called as I opened the door to my house.<p>

Izayoi came into the hall with my father's spawn propped on her hip. "Welcome home, Sesshoumaru."

I ignored her as I removed my shoes and slid into my slippers. I don't know why she even bothers. She's not my mother, she should stop trying to be.

As I swept past her, the toddler in her arms finally noticed me. "Aniki!" he cried. "Down! Down!" He squirmed in his mother's arms so she placed him on his feet. As soon as she let him go he was running after me. "Aniki! Aniki! Pway wif me, Aniki!"

"I will do no such thing, Inuyasha." I replied.

"Pwease?"

I sighed. He was such a nuisance. "Fine." So I took the red, rubber ball he held in his hands. "Fetch!" I said as I threw it down the hall. He raced after it, eager to please me. Then I turned and walked up the stairs to my room ignoring the scolding Izayoi was directing at me.

I finished my homework in no time at all. School was not a challenge for me. I could probably go to college right now and not have a problem.

So with nothing to do, I stretched out on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. My mind wandered and my eyes drifted shut. After a few moments, my mind's eye was filled with the vision of Kagome dancing. Her body moved fluidly as she danced around inside my head. Her tinkling laughter still sounded in my ears. I remembered what it felt like to have her in my arms and they ached to hold her once more. Then I saw her face. It filled my mind as that brilliant smile bloomed across her features. I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up in response to the happy expression.

"You look peaceful." I jumped at the sudden voice. I was so absorbed in my fantasy that I hadn't even heard my father enter my room.

I sat up and looked at him. "How can I help you, Father?"

"I spoke with Jirai. He told me you were having some problems in class today."

Damn. Sensei told on me. "It is nothing."

"Noticing a female for the first time isn't _nothing_, Sesshoumaru."

Ugh. I was not having this conversation with my father. _Ever_.

When I didn't say anything, he sat on the edge of my bed and asked, "So, what's her name?" I glared at him. "What?"

"It is none of your business, Father."

"You're my son. _Everything_ is my business."

"_This_ is not."

"I could help you, Sesshoumaru. Why won't you talk to me?" When I didn't answer he continued. "Every kind of youkai is different and there are so very few full-blooded dogs left. Only _I_ would truly understand what you're going through. I am the _only_ one who could give you advice through experience. Not to mention, I'm your _father_. Its my _job_ to guide you."

I continued to glower at him. "I do not need your advice. I know what I am doing."

Father finally stood. "I certainly hope so. Let me warn you though, Sesshoumaru, the opposite sex is not easily understood. Even after all my years, I'm _still_ at a loss when it comes to the workings of the female mind."

I raised an eyebrow at him but he said nothing more and left as quietly as he came.

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><p>The girl starred in my dreams that night and when I woke up I was in a good mood. I was in such good spirits that I actually said good morning to my stepmother. It appeared to make her day, not that I cared. Not even the annoyance of my little brother could squash my good humor. I just patted him on the top of his head between his silvery puppy ears and told him, "I have to go to school now, Inuyasha."<p>

A little while later, I arrived at Shikon Academy, a private school reserved for youkai and spiritually gifted humans. I entered the school and changed into my school shoes ignoring those around me as I do every morning. But as I walked towards my classroom, I stopped dead in my tracks. Down the hall stood Kagome. She was wearing my school's uniform. She went to my school? I felt the blood drain from my face as I watched her head into _my_ classroom. How clueless and out of it was I that I didn't know she was in my class? I vaguely remember yesterday a new student being introduced but I rarely pay attention to those things because I always ignore everyone anyway. I don't associate with my peers because, well, I don't see them as my _peers_. But I had bigger problems. How was I supposed to concentrate on anything if she's here too? First kendo, now school. My reputation as the best in everything will be thrown out the window.

"Hey, Sesshou, you okay man? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

I turn to see Kouga and his small posse of wolves. Kouga is by far the most annoying youkai in Shikon Academy because for some reason, he thinks he is my friend no matter how many times I've tried to persuade him otherwise. "I am fine and do not call me that." I shoved past the three of them and entered the classroom. My desk is in the far back, closest to the door so I can be the first to leave but as I approached it, I saw that Kagome's desk is one row over, two seats up from it. My entrance caused her to look back and when she recognized me, she smiled brightly and I lost myself, missed my seat and landed on the floor. How undignified! Damn! My grace and dignity hung in the balance now too!

Everyone around me burst into laughter and my cheeks flamed deep red. But Kagome was out of her seat and kneeling before me before I had the chance to rectify my humiliation. "Oh my gosh! Sesshoumaru! Are you all right?"

My face darkened further at her concern and I scrambled into my chair. "I am fine."

"Are you sure? You fell pretty hard."

I nodded trying not to look at her. She looked beautiful today. Her raven locks, which were pulled into a tight, neat bun yesterday, were loose and tumbled down around her shoulders accentuating her lovely face. I took a breath to steady myself and answer, "I thank you for your concern but I am youkai. A fall such as that would not cause me harm." _Physically_. I added mentally. I glanced around at our snickering classmates. I was loosing face quick.

"But it was _my_ fault."

My eyes dart back to meet her gaze but she was looking at her feet. Had she already guessed at my abstraction of her? "What brought you to that conclusion?"

She glanced up at me and I saw a delicate pink flush her cheeks. "I distracted you. You must've been so surprised to see me here. I'm sorry!" She bowed in apology.

"There is no need for apologies. There was no harm done. I allowed myself to be diverted. The fault belongs with me."

She looked at me skeptically before her magnificent smile bloomed across her face again. "Okay, if you're sure. Class is going to start soon, we'll talk later?"

"I have kendo class later."

She inclined her head. "And I have ballet. Perhaps we'll walk to the gym together?"

My heart flew into my throat at the prospect. All I could do to answer was nod.

She grinned. "Later then." Then she returned to her seat.

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><p>AN: I've got to tell you, I _love_ toddler Inuyasha! XD And a flustered Sessh? Too cute! I hope you liked it!


	3. Misplaced Resentment

A/N: Wow another update! How cool is that? Sessh really sticks his foot in his mouth in this one. :) Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

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><p>I don't think I got anything out of class the whole morning. I was trying to pay attention to the lesson but if Kagome so much as shifted in her seat, my attention would return to her. When the lunch bell finally rang, I fled the room before I could do something stupid and humiliating again. My goal was the roof, where I could eat in peace, but in my haste, I all but crashed into Kouga as he exited his classroom next door.<p>

"Whoa there, buddy! Where's the fire?"

I glared at him. "Get out of my way, wolf." I tried to get around him but one of his posse, Ginta I think his name is, cut me off. And then the other, Hakkaku I think, stepped in behind me. I was surrounded. "What do you want?"

"Cool your jets, man. We just want to hang. You eat lunch up on the roof, right? We'll join you."

I was just about to set him straight again when a voice from behind us said, "Um, excuse me?"

All four of us turned to see Kagome standing with a pink bento in her hands. Kouga walked right up to her. "Hey there, beautiful. Name's Kouga. What's yours?"

"Kagome."

"What can I do for you, gorgeous?" Damn that flirtatious wolf! He's really getting on my nerves.

"Actually," she started, leaning around the wolf to look at me. "I wanted to talk to Sesshoumaru." My chest constricted as she stepped around him and approached me. She smiled when she came close and my heart picked up its pace. Holding up her bento, she said. "Would you like to have lunch with me? I feel uncomfortable eating with strangers and you're the only one I know in this school."

I was barely holding onto coherency with her so close and looking at me like that. I needed to get away from her before I mortified myself. I cast about for an excuse to leave. "I was going to have lunch on the roof with Kouga and his friends." I could muster through an hour with the wolves if it meant saving my reputation.

Her face fell and I immediately hated myself for causing it. "Oh." She glanced over her shoulder at the three boys behind her. "I wouldn't want to keep you from your friends. After school then?"

I tried to be nonchalant, though I felt anything but. "Of course."

She smiled slightly and returned to the classroom to eat with the nosy strangers that were our classmates. I stared after her even after she disappeared inside.

Kouga whistled. "Damn, that is one fine babe. Where'd you meet a hottie like that, Sesshou?"

I growled at him. "You should watch your tongue wolf." Fighting in school is not tolerated but I wanted nothing more right now than to snap his neck.

"Calm down, dude. I was just asking. She's new here but she seems to know you. I just wanted to know where you met her."

"That is none of your business."

"Whatever. Let's go, I'm starved."

I sigh mentally and follow them up to the roof. This lunch was going to be hell.

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><p>After an excruciatingly long lunch, during which I was grilled for more info on what Kouga called "the hottie tottie," I was completely mentally drained. The only thing they found out over the hour was that I didn't know the girl very much at all. I fought with myself the entire time just so I wouldn't murder them all just so I wouldn't have to hear them speak any longer. When it was over I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with anyone anymore and I contemplated skipping the rest of the day just so I wouldn't have to deal with people anymore. But I didn't want to miss out on walking Kagome to ballet class when school was over. So I forced myself back.<p>

I collapsed into my chair, fixed my eyes on the front of the room and completely tuned everything out. The day went by really fast after that. The bell marking the end of the day broke me out of my trance. I sighed as I collected my things and put them in my bag. I did zero learning today. If everyday is like this from now on, I'm likely to fail. While school is simple and I don't have a problem with it, I still need to pay attention to learn the subject matter. It was humiliating just thinking about it. I was number one in the entire school. Father would be so disappointed.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Kagome's soft voice. "Are you ready, Sesshoumaru?"

I looked up at her smiling face and lost my train of thought. "What?" I responded dumbly.

Her smile transformed into a look of concern. "Are you okay? You seemed pretty out of it since lunch."

"I am fine." I stood and offered her my elbow. "Shall we?"

She giggled delightedly and slipped her hand into the crook of my arm. Her touch sent a spark of electricity through me and all my nerves caught on fire. This might be more difficult than I had originally anticipated. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and carefully led her out into the hall. "So, Sesshoumaru, what got you into kendo?"

"My father is a world renowned swordsman. I wished to follow in his footsteps."

"World renowned, huh? Those are some big shoes to fill."

"Sensei says I am more skilled than my father was when he was my age."

She grinned. "That's promising. Perhaps one day you'll surpass him. Then maybe you'll be _universally_ known." She giggled at her joke.

"And ballet? Why do you dance?"

She looked down at our walking feet. "I dance for my father." Her voice came out heartbroken and I scolded myself for bringing it up.

"I am sorry. You do not have to talk about it if you do not want to."

She looked up at me and forced a smile. "No. It's all right. I love to dance. Daddy was the one who encouraged it. When I was six, he took me to see Swan Lake. I was mesmerized by the dancers and I told him I wanted to be just like them. That week he signed me up for my first ballet class."

I felt awful. I didn't mean to dredge up a painful memory. "It must be hard for you."

"Sometimes. Daddy loved to watch me dance. It's hard not having him there. But I love what I do. If I were to stop, I think he would be disappointed. So I dance for him, in his memory. I just hope he still watches, from up in heaven."

"I am sure he does. He must be proud of you. You show such strength of character."

"Thanks, Sesshoumaru." We had reached the shoe lockers and she went to change her shoes. I did the same. We met back up at the doors to the street. I offered her my elbow again and she took it happily. "Let's talk about something else now."

As we walked down the street I couldn't come up with anything. "What would you like to talk about?"

"I don't know, are you an only child?"

"No. I have a baby brother."

"Really? Me too! His name's Souta and he's the cutest thing! He started kindergarten this year!" she gushed. "What's your brother like?"

"Inuyasha is hanyou. My father remarried a human a few years back and they had him. He is two years old and a nuisance."

"All younger siblings are like that. Souta is always in my hair."

"Hn."

"You don't like your brother." It wasn't a question.

"He should never have had been born. He is an abomination to demon kind. Youkai blood should not be diluted by human."

Kagome stopped short and dropped my arm. "Is there something _wrong_ with being human?"

Uh oh. I said something I shouldn't have. Now she's mad. "No. I just think they should not mix."

She crossed her arms and glared at me. "And what exactly is _this_? What we're doing _right now_?"

Damn. How do I repair this? "This is different."

"_How_?"

"A hanyou will not result from us being friends."

Her face flushed deeply. "Oh."

"We should go. We will be late." I presented my elbow again but she just stalked past me. I turned and followed, feeling like a puppy that had been reprimanded and had its tail between its legs.

"You know what I think?" She asked after a few moments of silence. She continued without waiting for a response. "I don't think it's the fact that he's a hanyou. Would you have been fine with it if your father remarried a youkai and had a child?"

"Yes. That is acceptable."

"You're deluding yourself. You'd be pissed then too. You're mad he remarried at all. Your brother being hanyou is just an excuse."

"It is not."

She looked back at me. "You loved your mother, right?"

"Of course."

"Did your father love her?"

I didn't know where she was going with this. "Yes."

She nodded. "Then you're mad at him for remarrying. You see this new woman as a replacement for your mother in your father's heart. Which probably isn't true. I'm sure he loves the new one, but he still loves your mom too. You should talk to him about this."

Damn. She was making sense. Didn't I just complain last night that she was trying to be my mother? Was this what the real problem was? "Hn," was all I could respond.

"Don't blame your brother for what he is. He couldn't help it. Just like you couldn't help being born youkai or I couldn't help being born human. You wouldn't blame me for that and I wouldn't blame you either."

I looked at her in a new light. She was very perceptive. "You have given me much to think on."

"Good. See you later." And she marched into the gym. I hadn't even realized we had arrived.

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><p>AN: Sesshy with his tail between his legs. XD lol Hope you enjoyed. Review!


	4. Unjustified Anger

A/N: Yay! Another update! I hope you like it!

DISCLAIMER: The characters in this story do not belong to me. They were born from the amazing imagination of Rumiko Takahashi. i do not take credit for her amazing work.

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><p>I was distracted again throughout the entirety of Sensei's demonstration, and once again because of Kagome. However, this time it wasn't her dancing but her <em>words<em> that kept my mind otherwise occupied. What she had said made a lot of sense. It was true that I was very upset when my father married Izayoi. So much so, that I refused to attend the wedding. I had locked myself up in my room and refused to come out the entire day. At the time I thought it was because the bride was human and she was unworthy of the greatness that was my father. But could it possibly have been the fact that I was angry that my father was remarrying at all? That I didn't like the idea of my mother being replaced? And then my little hanyou brother was born…I felt like _I _was being replaced?

A light suddenly came on in my head. DAMN! Kagome was _right_! I leaped to my feet. Sensei glared at me. His lesson wasn't over yet. "I am sorry, Sensei. I must speak with my father. It is urgent. May I be dismissed?" The kitsune appraised me carefully. I must have looked thoroughly flustered for him to concede. He nodded and I shot like a bullet for the door. But before I went through it, I glanced back at the ballet class. My eyes locked with Kagome's. Their bark blue depths shined with approval. Then I disappeared outside.

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><p>I knew Father would not be home yet, so I raced to catch him at his office. I flew into the building and raced up the stairs, the elevator wasn't fast enough. When I reached the top floor I burst from the stairwell and frightened an office lady but I didn't have time to apologize properly. I threw a measly "sorry!" over my shoulder as I barreled toward Father's corner office.<p>

I skidded to a stop at his receptionist's desk. The old flea hopped up to greet me. "Well, if it isn't young Master Sesshoumaru!"

"Where is Father, Myouga? I must speak with him!"

"You just missed him. He left just a moment ago."

I sighed. Damn. I missed him.

But Myouga continued. "If you hurry, you could catch him before he leaves the parking garage."

My eyes widened. "Thank you, Myouga!" And I raced for the stairs again.

As I moved away, I heard the flea say, "Oh to be young again, such energy!"

I practically tumbled down the stairs in my haste to reach the parking garage in time. Father's designated parking space is on the top level but that's all I know. I flung myself through the door marked "P5" and raced along the rows of cars searching for Father's silver Lexus. I heard the elevator ding behind me and turned to see him step out.

Relief. "Father!" I cried moving to close the space between us.

Confusion marred my father's brow. "Sesshoumaru? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in kendo practice?" He eyed my uniform. I was in such a hurry I had forgotten to change out of it.

I glanced down at myself and realized my mistake. "Oh, yes. But Father, I must speak with you!"

His eyes widened at my tone and he reassessed my expression. "What's wrong, Sesshoumaru? Is Izayoi all right? Your brother?"

"They are fine. I have something urgent to discuss with you!"

He relaxed and continued for his car. "We'll talk during the ride home."

I nodded and followed, saying, "Can we stop at the gym? I left my school bag and clothes there."

He nodded and bleeped the doors open. I climbed in beside him. "So what's this about, son?" he asked as he started the car.

"Kagome said something today-"

"Kagome? Is _that_ the name of the dancer you're so fascinated by?" My cheeks warmed and Father chuckled. "All right. Go on."

I cleared my throat and started again. "She said something and it started me thinking."

"What did she say?"

I glanced up at him then dropped my gaze to my lap. "I told her of my dislike of Inuyasha. She thinks that the problem is not because he is hanyou. She thinks I am upset with _you_."

"_Me_? What did _I_ do?"

My voice dropped to a whisper. "You replaced Mother when you married Izayoi."

"Is _that_ what this is all about?" I nodded. "You should know better, Sesshoumaru. I loved your mother very much, still do in fact. No one could _ever_ replace her."

I looked up at him, my eyebrows furrowed angrily. "Then why did you remarry?"

He sighed and the sound was so sorrowful. "I miss your mother terribly and when she died I never thought I would love again. But I became lonely and then I met Izayoi. She filled the void in my life and I was finally happier. I learned to love again."

I turned away and looked out the window. "So you did replace Mother."

"No. She has a special, designated place in my heart that no one will ever breach. No one will ever take that from her. But the heart is capable of many _types_ of love. And while I love Izayoi, I do not love her like your mother."

Father pulled the car into the gym's parking lot and parked it by the curb at the entrance. I placed my hand on the door handle, but before I opened it, I asked, "And you did not try to replace _me_ with Inuyasha?"

He stared at me incredulously. "How could you ever think that? You are my _first-born_. You can never be replaced. You are the last piece I have left of your mother. She gave you life. I cherish that."

Peace settled in my heart. It felt so good to get everything out in the open. I felt so light now, like a burden had been lifted away. "Okay," and I smiled, a real smile, for the first time since before Mother got sick. It wasn't a very big smile but it was enough to make my father grin like a lunatic.

He ruffled the hair on the top of my head saying, "Go get your stuff, worrywart."

I slapped his hand away with a soft snort and got out of the car.

* * *

><p>Kagome had stayed and waited for me. When I came through the door, she jumped up and came over to me carrying my things. "One of the boys said you left this here." She handed them to me.<p>

"Thank you."

"Did you talk to your dad?"

"Hn,"

"And?"

"You were correct in your assumptions. My anger was misplaced _and_ unjustified."

She smiled and my heart stuttered in my chest. "I knew it. So everything is good now?"

"Hn,"

"I'm so glad!" and suddenly she was hugging me again.

I gladly wrapped my arms around her smaller frame, pleased that for the second time in two days I was allowed to hold her in my arms. Her fragrance was exquisite; a combination of fruits, flowers and femininity that made my mouth water. Before I knew what was happening, I had my nose buried in her hair and I was breathing it in like an addict.

"Um, Sesshoumaru?" she whispered, sounding a little uncomfortable.

A deep blush flooded my face and I sprung away from her. "I am sorry. It is just…you smell nice."

She stared at me a moment, and appraised me. "Well, you are a _dog_ and scent is very important to dogs. I'll take that as a compliment." She smiled and I relaxed. Wait.

How did she know what type of youkai I was? "How-?"

She laughed. "I'm a _priestess_, Sesshoumaru. I sensed it. How do you think I got into your school if I didn't have spiritual abilities?"

"You are a miko?" She nodded. Huh, a miko. The arch nemesis of all youkai. This only intrigued me more, the danger she represented…

"Sesshoumaru? What is taking you so long?" my father called as he came inside. "Oh, hello, young lady."

"Father, this is Kagome." My face warmed when his grinning face turned to look at me and his eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Taisho." Kagome stuck a hand out and Father shook it firmly.

"Likewise, Kagome. Do I know your parents?"

"I don't think so. We just moved here. But you might know my grandfather. He runs Sunset Shrine."

"Ah, Higurashi. Good man. Got a screw loose though, that one."

She laughed. "That'd be Grandpa."

I was growing uncomfortable with my father being chummy with her. "I think we should be going now, Father."

He looked over at my reddened face. "Yes, I believe we should. It was nice talking to you, Kagome."

"Yeah."

When we got back in the car, Father said, "I understand your infatuation with that girl now. She's a real looker."

I growled at him and turned my blushing face towards the darkening window. _You should see her dance_.

* * *

><p>AN: Hehehe. Poor Sessh. Daddy embarrassing him like that. :D


	5. Bonding Moment

A/N: Sorry it took so long, but real life has been hectic, exciting and crazy since I found out I'm expecting twin girls the end of July/beginning of August. Yay! How exciting right? Kae's gonna be a momma soon!

Anyway, about the story, sorry for the wait and the length. Its not very long considering how long its been since I last updated but I kinda only have baby on the brain these days...lol Enjoy!

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><p>When we got home, Izayoi was frantic because I hadn't come home yet. It was so odd having the hateful blinders off. She seemed to be genuinely concerned about me. She was actually a good, kind person, though I still saw her as a bit of a twit. I was so used to resenting her that it felt strange accepting her.<p>

We had dinner together as a family, during which Inuyasha managed to smear peas in my hair as well as his own. This aggravated me since I was sitting _across_ the table from him and my hair was nowhere near his grubby fingers. I had no idea how he even accomplished it. So I dumped the entire gravy boat over his head.

He found this hilarious though and began chucking things at me from off his dish. From there, things escalated quickly into a full-blown food fight that Father had a very hard time diffusing. When it was finally over, we were both covered in various foodstuffs and Father scolded us both on how to behave at the dinner table. After the tongue lashing, he ordered us upstairs to clean up. So I picked up the messy hanyou and carried him up into the bathroom.

Once there, I turned on the faucet to fill the tub. He sat quietly on the stool kicking his feet while I rinsed the majority of the food off with the sprayer and peeled off his soiled, soggy, wet clothes. Then he watched silently as I did the same for myself. I sat him back on the stool so I could scrub his hair.

"Aniki?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Awe you mad at me?"

I stopped shampooing him. Where was this coming from? "No. What makes you think that?"

He didn't answer for a moment, thinking. Then he said, "You theem diffwent. You nomawy ignowe me, but tonight you pwayed wif me."

I went back to washing his hair. "It is called a food _fight_ for a reason, Inuyasha. We were fighting, not playing."

"But it wath fun," he muttered.

Well that was true. The food fight was the most fun I've had at home for a long time. I never really interacted with Inuyasha because I resented him and found his presence irritating but since straightening things out with Father, I finally acknowledged him as my brother instead of an annoyance that lived in my home. Now we can have a real relationship as siblings.

With the acknowledgment came the realization of two important things about him. One, Inuyasha is a fun little brother whom I should play with more often. And two, he was incredibly smart and perceptive. He's only two and he's already talking in full, coherent sentences. Sure, he has a very strong lisp but, considering his age, that's to be expected. Plus, he noticed the change in me today.

When I was satisfied with the cleanliness of his hair, I rinsed it and ordered him into the now full bath. He climbed in to soak in the steaming water while I went to work on my own hair. It was difficult because of its length – it reached down to the small of my back – and its texture. While Inuyasha's hair is silvery white like Father's and mine, it's more like the texture of a human's. It was easier to wash his hair because it doesn't absorb things as easily as demon hair. After fifteen minutes of scrubbing, multiple rinsings and rewashings, my hair still had a distinct greenish-brown stain to it.

This irritated me to no end. My hair was a part of my physical appearance that I took great pride in. It was one of the few things that reminded me of Mother. My hair may be silvery white like Father's, but it is completely different from his. Father's hair is consistently the same color no matter the lighting. Mine is like Mother's – it shined iridescently in the sun. When either Mother or myself went outside in the sun our hair reflected like a prism, throwing the light in a myriad of rainbow colors. My hair was something I cherished since it was one of the few things I inherited from her. That, and her noble crescent moon upon my brow. If it was ruined I would be quite upset.

"Awe you mad now, Aniki?" I started when he spoke. I had forgotten his presence in my sulk.

I looked at him grumpily. "Yes. My hair will not come clean."

"I'm thowwy. Ith aw my fauwt."

"Do not blame yourself. I started the food fight."

"But I got you doody futht."

"It was an accident. You did not _mean_ to get peas in my hair, did you?"

He shook his head vehemently. "No!"

"Then I am not mad at _you_. I am just upset that it will not come clean," I said climbing in the tub beside him. I sat sullenly for a while allowing the hot water to relax my muscles. But Inuyasha kept fidgeting and it was getting on my nerves. "Would you just sit still!" and I splashed some water in his face.

He grimaced at me. "I need to go potty!"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, get out and go then. You have been soaking long enough."

He suddenly looked up at me with such big eyes, like he was scared or something. "But Mama awayth hewpth me."

I sighed. "You are big enough to use the toilet by yourself. Just go. I am not finished yet."

He grumbled a bit, but he listened. He climbed out of the tub and left the room wrapped in a towel. And I was finally able to relax. I sat in the steaming bath relaxing each muscle until I felt like an overcooked noodle.

"A-aniki?" Inuyasha stuck his head back through the door. "I made a meth."

With a sigh, I got out. "What happened?" I wrapped myself in a towel as I followed him into the restroom.

"I mithed." He pointed to the puddle at the base of the toilet.

With another sigh, I bent to clean it up. My patience was really being tested tonight. When the floor was wiped up, without a word, I stood and helped the boy towel dry his hair. I wasn't upset. I just didn't want the stress when I had already done my relaxing routine. And I was tired and very ready for bed. It was an exhausting day trying to avoid humiliation in school and then the emotionally taxing talk with my father. I just wanted to sleep.

"You'aw mad." Inuyasha observed his voice muffled by the towel.

"No. I am tired. There is a difference."

He peeked out from under the fluffy white fabric. "But you _wook_ mad."

"Yes, well, I had a very exhausting day and I just wish to sleep. Let us get you ready for bed so I may go to bed as well." He silently handed me the brush while I tossed the wet towel into the laundry bin. I brushed his hair quickly, his hair tangles easily but the knots come out with no trouble.

Then I carefully dry my hair, brush it and braid the length of it. The braid concealed most of the dingy stain and I hoped no one would notice.

When I finished, I escorted my brother to his room, helped him into his pajamas and tucked him into his little bed. I wondered when he stopped sleeping in a crib. I was completely out of touch with what was happening in my own home. But I was too tired to care and slunk into my room, dressed and flopped on the bed, ignoring my homework. It was just going to have to go undone. I didn't know what was assigned anyway since I was mentally MIA in class all day. With one last thought of Kagome's smiling face, I drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

><p>AN: Yeah so its short. Sorry again. But what a sweet moment between brothers! Next time, Inuyasha and Kagome meet for the first time! How will she react to his adorableness? Find out with my next update (which I hope won't be too far in the future)!

kaerfemina


	6. Awoken Instinct

A/N: Finally a new update! This may be the last one for a while. I'm on the verge of moving and the twins are due to arrive soon so I wont have much time to write. Please enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the lovely characters in this story. They belong to the talented Rumiko Takahashi. I bow to her brilliance.

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><p>"Watch, Aniki! Watch me!" Inuyasha called from the top of the jungle gym.<p>

I sighed and looked up from the book I was reading. Saturdays are the only days I get to myself. I don't know why I let my brother talk me into bringing him to the park. I am much too old to run around in a playground. When my eyes focused on him, his face scrunched up in concentration as he crouched down. He then made a flying leap off the brightly painted bars, did two somersaults in the air and landed squarely on his feet. He looked up at me and grinned.

Considering his age, his acrobatics were quite impressive. So I nodded at him and he seemed pleased that I acknowledged his accomplishment.

"Whoa! That was so cool!" Suddenly, a boy of about five or six ran around from behind where I sat and approached my little brother. "How old are you? That was amazing! Did you see that, Nee-chan? Did you see what he did?" The boy turned back towards me just as his sister entered my peripheral vision.

"Yes, Souta. I saw." My eyes widened at the voice. I looked up and there she stood smiling at our brothers. Kagome. My heart thundered in my chest as she turned that smile on me. "Hi Sesshoumaru." Her smile widened as she plunked down next to me on the park bench.

"H-hello." I scolded myself for stuttering. It was unbecoming of one such as myself. Her sapphire eyes sparkled as she smiled at me and I dropped my gaze back to the book in my lap just for something, anything, else to look at. Those eyes of hers seemed to have a magnetic quality to them. They drew me in and I shouldn't be that close.

Suddenly, Inuyasha stood before her, glaring into her face, ears pricked forward and his nose going a mile a minute. "You know Aniki?"

"Yes, we go to school toge-" She looked down at him and her sentence abruptly cut off. Inuyasha, confused about her sudden silence, cocked his head to one side and his ears gave a little twitch. "Oh my, aren't you just _precious_?" she cried, scooping the toddler up and plopping him in her lap. She cuddled him and cooed nonsense noises at him.

He didn't know how to react to it and sat stiffly, his wide-eyed gaze bouncing between me and the overly friendly girl. I smirked at him, finding his discomfort amusing. However, and I was loathe to admit it even to myself, a part of me was jealous of how close he was allowed to be to her.

"You must be Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru told me _so much_ about you!"

His eyes took on a sheen of wonder as he looked up at her. "Aniki did?"

"Mm-hm." She poked him affectionately on the nose.

His awed gaze flickered over to me for a moment before returning to her face. "What did he thay?"

She began to run her fingers through his hair, combing it, causing him to melt into her embrace. I bit back the envious growl that was building in my chest. I _shouldn't_ be wishing that she'd touch _me_ in such a way. But I did. "He told me you are two years old and a hanyou. And he also said that you're a pest!" she finished with a giggle.

"I don' mean to be."

She smiled at him. "I know but he forgot to tell me how adorable you are!" With that, she hugged him closer.

Inuyasha's face flushed red at the girl's affection but before he could protest, Souta came over to us and complained, "Nee-chan!"

"What is it, Souta?" Kagome responded pulling away from the flustered hanyou.

"Come _on_! I wanna play!" He tugged on his sister's sleeve.

"You can play by yourself. I'm busy right now. The jungle gym and swings are right over there. I can watch from here."

The boy pouted. "But I don't wanna climb or swing. I wanna play tag!"

"Play with Inuyasha then." She put my brother down on his feet in front of her.

Souta eyed the toddler before him. "But he's so small."

Inuyasha obviously took offense at that. He crossed his little arms and stuck his nose in the air haughtily. "I'm fatht."

Souta didn't know how to react to that so he came up with a new argument. "And tag isn't fun with just two. Play with me, Nee-chan!"

The priestess sighed and glanced at me. "Do you mind?"

When her shining gaze landed on me again my heart skipped a beat and my eyes flew back to the book I held. "No, it is fine. You go play." I turned a page even though I hadn't finished reading it yet.

"Oh," Her voice sounded strange and when I peeked up at her, she was frowning. "I thought you'd play with us."

I turned my full attention back to her and gave her a deadpanned look. "I am much too old to play such childish games."

"Please, you're never too old for tag. It's a classic." She waved her hand about as if dismissing my words. She then grabbed my hand, causing a shock to zing up my arm, and tugged as she stood. "Play with us."

I gently extracted my tingling hand from hers. "I would rather not." I replied and returned to my book.

She stood before me with her hands on her hips. I could feel her gaze bore into me as she stared. My skin tingled and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end just from the mere thought of her looking at me. Suddenly, she reached out and touched my knee. Flame danced from her fingers as they brushed the fabric there. "TAG! YOU'RE IT!" she cried and with a giggle, she fled.

The image of her running from me stirred something deep inside me. An instinct I didn't know existed. I became restless and was suddenly eager to play the game. I recognized it for what it was, the thrill of the chase. So I sighed, set my book down on the bench beside me, rose and stalked after my prey.

* * *

><p>The game was surprisingly fun despite my obvious advantages. Kagome may not have been as fast as I was but she was smart. She used the obstacles of the playground equipment to her advantage. Whenever I got close to tagging her, she would duck under the jungle gym or leap past a kid on the swings and have me get cut off. My instincts buzzed and demanded that I catch her so I stepped up my game and tagged her within moments. She huffed but quickly turned her sights on her brother and got him before he could get under the slide.<p>

The game continued and Kagome discovered that she didn't need to run slower for Inuyasha as she did for her own brother. As he had stated himself, Inuyasha ran fast for his young age and didn't stay "it" for very long. But after a while, the boys got bored of the game and opted for playing in the sandbox instead. Kagome and I ended up on the swings.

Kagome turned to me, her face flushed from exertion, and smiled. My heart jumped up into my throat at the sight and my eyes flew to stare at my feet.

"Admit it, Sesshoumaru. You had fun."

"Hn," I replied kicking at the dirt beneath me, making my swing sway.

Her smile turned smug. "I knew you would. You can be a real spoilsport sometimes, you know that, Sesshoumaru? You gotta let yourself have fun once and a while."

"Hn," I repeated noncommittally. I only had fun because I was playing with _her_. I still thought the game was childish and I was too old for such things. I would much rather play a game that required the use of my intellect, like chess.

She pouted at me for a moment before saying, "You aren't very talkative today. Is everything okay at home?"

I nodded. "There are no problems."

"Good, I'm glad" she replied with a smile. She then grasped my trailing braid and lifted the plait into view. The action sent a tingle through my scalp. "What happened to your hair?" The green-brown stain was clearly visible in the bright sun.

Sighing, I gently pulled my hair from her grasp. "Inuyasha smeared peas in it last night at dinner. It is stained."

"That's too bad, you have such pretty hair."

I shrugged like it was no big deal when in reality, I was upset she even noticed my small defect. I wanted to be perfect in her eyes since she was perfect in mine.

She reached over and gently patted my knee. I wished she would stop touching me, these little sparks of electricity are making it hard to concentrate. "I'm sure it'll wash out. Just give it some time." She smiled and pushed off into a slow swing. Before long, she was swinging high over my head.

Suddenly, she leaped from the swing, and soared through the air at a frightening speed and height for a human. I jumped up, prepared to catch her, but she landed squarely on the balls of her feet before I could get beneath her. She turned a pirouette and grinned at me and my panicked expression that I quickly tried to mask.

She giggled and skipped over to me. "What's wrong? Did I scare you?"

My face warmed as I crossed my arms and averted my gaze. "You should not attempt such things. They are dangerous and you can hurt yourself."

"I do that all the time. It's no big deal."

I was not convinced. "Hn,"

"I hear there is a kendo match tonight. Will you be competing?" She deliberately changed the subject.

"Naturally. I am the best in my class."

"I look forward to it then." She grinned.

My back went rigid. "You are going to be there?"

She nodded. "I have a dance audition at the gym. When I'm done I can come watch your match. Speaking of which..." She glanced at the watched strapped to her wrist. "I have to go get ready for it. SOUTA!" She called over her shoulder. "WE HAVE TO GO!" Turning back to me, she said, "See you tonight! Good luck!" She gave me a thumbs up and ran over to the sandbox to collect her brother before leaving the park.

I was rooted to the spot, staring after her as she disappeared in the distance. How was I going to do well tonight if she was there watching me? Maybe tonight will be the first time anyone will ever beat me in a match. My 100 percent winning streak will finally be broken.

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><p>AN: I hope the slight extra length will make up for my impending writing absence. I am on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy but with the move, I don't think I'll have much time to dedicate to writing. Wish me luck! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!


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